We've had a really busy month of July around here, and I am looking forward to a little quieter August. For one thing, we don't have any trips planned, and our weekends are only partially filling up at this point. (Room to get together with friends & family!)
Keith's still looking for another job, so that has added some interesting emotions to these last few weeks as well. While I really enjoy having him home to keep me company, help with the girls, and do things around the house, there are days where the house just doesn't feel big enough for the both of us! :) Keith is in the process of finding places to apply, as well as generally re-evaluating his career and future. I think we will look back on this time and realize that it was a huge turning point in our family's life. God is moving in such big ways, and we have been blessed by His provision. The generosity of family & friends to help with expenses, entertain the girls, and most importantly, keep us in prayer have all been greatly appreciated.
Hannah is turning into a big girl right before our eyes! She is such the little mama/maternal girl, and she is loving being a BIG sister. She goes in to Gemma's room after her naps (or sometimes, Gemma "conveniently" wakes up upon Hannah's entering the room) and says in a high-pitched, crooning voice "Good Morning, Gemma. Hi honey!" :) It's so funny.
Gemma is cooing, spitting and near-laughing a lot these days. It's so fun to hear all her little noises. She laughed once with Keith, but I've yet to hear a real giggle. :) This weekend marked a big deal for me, especially, as we picked up a pacifier while we were at the beach. Dun, dun, duuuuunnnn! I've always sworn that I would never use one with my kids, so this was a big step. Gemma just has a harder time with the transition from breast to bed :), and since she hasn't found her thumb like Hannah did so early on, we figured it was time to try the "Paci." It was definitely the right move, since she was asleep within 20 seconds the first time we gave it to her, and since then, I've used it for bedtimes & in the middle of the night if she's a little fussy but not hungry. It works! :) We are promising each other that we'll only use it when necessary, and that we'll have her give it up when she starts saying words. (One of my biggest fears is that it will negatively influence her speech development.) Anyway, we refer to it as the OTT (OT Tool), because Senia (an almost-certified Occupational Therapist) has reassured me that pacifiers are used in the OT setting to help babies work on their suckling skills. :)
Anyway, that's our latest. Currently Keith is keeping busy outside while I hang out in here. We're watching our friend Luke for the day and unbelievably, all three kids are sound asleep! Luke and Hannah have been playing so well together, so they must have worn each other out. This afternoon I'm going to turn on the sprinkler for some water fun!
More later...
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Another month has gone by...
Gemma is four months old today, and that is really hard to believe when I think about the days since I was still pregnant with her! Now that she's here, it's hard to remember how it felt before she was born (which is exactly how I feel with Hannah, too.) Gemma is doing so many fun things now, including squealing in a very high-pitch voice, laughing (although Keith is the only one who's heard it so far!), reaching for toys, and generally looking around at people, toys, the animals, etc. She loves to move & stretch out on her back, and she doesn't even mind a few minutes of tummy time. Overall, she's a very easy baby, although she doesn't like putting herself to sleep. Hannah never seemed to have too much trouble with that, but Gemma is definitely more of a cuddler (which, I gotta say--is kind of cozy & fun.) We are even CONSIDERING the pacifier possibility, although I'd really rather she just find her thumb or fingers. :) We'll see what happens. She's starting to watch food travel to mouths, and she's even grabbing for plates & cups, but I'm kind of in denial about that. I'm perfectly happy nursing her exclusively for a couple more months (interesting how that changes with the second baby, too) and I think I'm going to be a little sad when she cuts out one or more feedings per day. :( Right now that's my time to just cuddle & hold her, since I don't have as much time to do that with Hannah needing my attention & focus as well. A big deal in Gemma's life so far is that we had her dedicated at church a couple weeks ago. She was really good and just looked at everyone while Pastor Dave held her up in front of the congregation. We were touched by all the friends that came up front to pray with and for us. :) I should get pics of that up pretty soon!
Hannah is doing well also, and she is growing up to be quite the fun, caring, maternal girl. :) She still loves playing with her baby dolls, and she recently rediscovered one from Gemma's basket of toys, whom she named Titi ("Teetee.") (Who knows where that came from...) Anyway, Hannah loves to play mommy to all of her dolls, including nursing them under her shirt, putting them to bed while reading them stories & singing to them, and most recently, having them tied into her "Moby," which I tied up using a pashmina. :) It's pretty cute! The other day, she and I went on our first outing together since Gemma was born. We had ice cream at Sheridan's Frozen Custard, and when we were leaving, she asked "Isn't Gemma coming?" When I said no, that it would just be the two of us, she said "Oh" in kind of a awe-inspired way. :) That was a fun afternoon! Hannah also loves to dance to my Celine Dion concert video, and she now knows some of the (appropriate) lyrics to the songs. It's quite funny to see her dancing around in her ballerina outfit and singing "You can see/I can give you/everything you need/I'm the one/who wants to love you more..." Haha.
Keith is back to looking for a job, since the company he got hired with after his layoff has now been really low on work. Besides a week in Yakima, he hasn't worked in three weeks, so that's starting to get frustrating. We know God will provide, but it's hard to wait! :) Keith is doing well at staying positive & keeping busy, and we've been able to get caught up with a number of household projects (yard work, cleaning the garage, etc) while he's been home. I definitely do not mind the extra help & company during the day, but I know Keith is ready to get back to a regular job. He's doing some odd jobs for family & friends, but mostly we're just trying to keep an ear & eye open for work! It will happen, and we know it will be a blessing when it does. In the meantime, we're trying to be frugal & smart about our spending, so that takes some extra planning & dedication. :)
Other than that, our life is really great. The girls keep us busy & happy, and we love spending time together as a family. Our church life is wonderful, and we are feeling so connected with the families there. We are finally getting the summery, hot weather we've waited for, so we are spending time outside as much as possible. We had Keith's family reunion at Ocean Shores last month, and this weekend we're going to Seaside with my family. Hannah has discovered a love for the sand & surf!
That's all for now, but thanks for reading & we appreciate your prayers for our family. :)
Hannah in the "sauna pool" at Grandma & Grandpa Jutila's.
Here is one of my bathing beauties!
Hannah is doing well also, and she is growing up to be quite the fun, caring, maternal girl. :) She still loves playing with her baby dolls, and she recently rediscovered one from Gemma's basket of toys, whom she named Titi ("Teetee.") (Who knows where that came from...) Anyway, Hannah loves to play mommy to all of her dolls, including nursing them under her shirt, putting them to bed while reading them stories & singing to them, and most recently, having them tied into her "Moby," which I tied up using a pashmina. :) It's pretty cute! The other day, she and I went on our first outing together since Gemma was born. We had ice cream at Sheridan's Frozen Custard, and when we were leaving, she asked "Isn't Gemma coming?" When I said no, that it would just be the two of us, she said "Oh" in kind of a awe-inspired way. :) That was a fun afternoon! Hannah also loves to dance to my Celine Dion concert video, and she now knows some of the (appropriate) lyrics to the songs. It's quite funny to see her dancing around in her ballerina outfit and singing "You can see/I can give you/everything you need/I'm the one/who wants to love you more..." Haha.
Keith is back to looking for a job, since the company he got hired with after his layoff has now been really low on work. Besides a week in Yakima, he hasn't worked in three weeks, so that's starting to get frustrating. We know God will provide, but it's hard to wait! :) Keith is doing well at staying positive & keeping busy, and we've been able to get caught up with a number of household projects (yard work, cleaning the garage, etc) while he's been home. I definitely do not mind the extra help & company during the day, but I know Keith is ready to get back to a regular job. He's doing some odd jobs for family & friends, but mostly we're just trying to keep an ear & eye open for work! It will happen, and we know it will be a blessing when it does. In the meantime, we're trying to be frugal & smart about our spending, so that takes some extra planning & dedication. :)
Other than that, our life is really great. The girls keep us busy & happy, and we love spending time together as a family. Our church life is wonderful, and we are feeling so connected with the families there. We are finally getting the summery, hot weather we've waited for, so we are spending time outside as much as possible. We had Keith's family reunion at Ocean Shores last month, and this weekend we're going to Seaside with my family. Hannah has discovered a love for the sand & surf!
That's all for now, but thanks for reading & we appreciate your prayers for our family. :)
Hannah in the "sauna pool" at Grandma & Grandpa Jutila's.
Here is one of my bathing beauties!
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Life so far...
Well, these last two months since I blogged last have really been quite the whirlwind. I survived two different weeks of flying solo while Keith was out of town for work, Gemma started smiling & is growing like a weed, Hannah has really transformed into her role of big sister, Keith was laid off from his job of almost three years, Keith found another job just over a week later, and now we are awaiting the start of this new chapter in our lives as Keith starts at his new job (hopefully Monday!)
Whew!
Yes, it's already been an adventure, and it is only month two of parenthood with two children (girls, no less!) I have to say, I am REALLY enjoying saying "my girls," as I discuss our family, and it is fun to dress them both up for church, playdates, or just the random trip to Starbucks. ;) I love that they look at each other and smile instantaneously, and I love to watch Hannah become a truly devoted big sister to Gemma. Today I nearly cried to watch this tender scene in the back seat: Hannah said: "Uh-oh...Gemma spit up!" I asked her if she could wipe Gemma's mouth with her bib and Hannah (so gently & sweetly) cleaned her little sister up WHILST sucking her own thumb. :) Then as Hannah drifted off to sleep (we had had a busy morning and afternoon playdate with friends), she held Gemma's hand the whole time & fell asleep in that position. It was too cute. :)
So yeah, Keith got laid off last week, which was a huge surprise to us and everyone we told. I've gone through the phases of emotions associated with such a blow: disbelief, anger, disappointment, acceptance, a little bit back to anger, and now understanding that I know God has something greater for us. The thing is, I had a peace from the beginning, but it has been so amazing to see how God is working in our lives in a very real way--providing another job for Keith so fast that we barely had a chance to live without a paycheck! :) Keith will probably get his first unemployment check about the same time he gets the first paycheck from his new job. Funny how that works out.
I think I'm adjusting to life as a mom of two kids. Our morning routine has some amount of regularity to it, although there are days where it just doesn't seem like a priority for me to do silly things like shower or get dressed out of my pj's. :) It's amazing what you find you have to (and can!) let go when you have two kids! My biggest fear was getting out to the grocery store with both girls--the thought just overwhelmed me for some reason, and I thought I'd be relegated to going to the store in the late evening or weekends. However, a couple weeks ago I decided to try it out by wearing Gemma in the Moby wrap (a stretchy, knit wrap that keeps Gemma nice and close) and pushing Hannah in the cart. We made it through and got a number of groceries! It was a huge step for me, because it made me feel like after doing that, I could accomplish just about anything with both girls in tow.
So there are many things for which I'm thankful at this point--not the least of which are two healthy, beautiful (if I do say so) girls, a loving & patient husband, and the provision of the Lord in our lives & household.
More later...
Here's a pic of "my girls":
And here's one of us on Mother's Day in our finest pink (we're girls, right?!)
Whew!
Yes, it's already been an adventure, and it is only month two of parenthood with two children (girls, no less!) I have to say, I am REALLY enjoying saying "my girls," as I discuss our family, and it is fun to dress them both up for church, playdates, or just the random trip to Starbucks. ;) I love that they look at each other and smile instantaneously, and I love to watch Hannah become a truly devoted big sister to Gemma. Today I nearly cried to watch this tender scene in the back seat: Hannah said: "Uh-oh...Gemma spit up!" I asked her if she could wipe Gemma's mouth with her bib and Hannah (so gently & sweetly) cleaned her little sister up WHILST sucking her own thumb. :) Then as Hannah drifted off to sleep (we had had a busy morning and afternoon playdate with friends), she held Gemma's hand the whole time & fell asleep in that position. It was too cute. :)
So yeah, Keith got laid off last week, which was a huge surprise to us and everyone we told. I've gone through the phases of emotions associated with such a blow: disbelief, anger, disappointment, acceptance, a little bit back to anger, and now understanding that I know God has something greater for us. The thing is, I had a peace from the beginning, but it has been so amazing to see how God is working in our lives in a very real way--providing another job for Keith so fast that we barely had a chance to live without a paycheck! :) Keith will probably get his first unemployment check about the same time he gets the first paycheck from his new job. Funny how that works out.
I think I'm adjusting to life as a mom of two kids. Our morning routine has some amount of regularity to it, although there are days where it just doesn't seem like a priority for me to do silly things like shower or get dressed out of my pj's. :) It's amazing what you find you have to (and can!) let go when you have two kids! My biggest fear was getting out to the grocery store with both girls--the thought just overwhelmed me for some reason, and I thought I'd be relegated to going to the store in the late evening or weekends. However, a couple weeks ago I decided to try it out by wearing Gemma in the Moby wrap (a stretchy, knit wrap that keeps Gemma nice and close) and pushing Hannah in the cart. We made it through and got a number of groceries! It was a huge step for me, because it made me feel like after doing that, I could accomplish just about anything with both girls in tow.
So there are many things for which I'm thankful at this point--not the least of which are two healthy, beautiful (if I do say so) girls, a loving & patient husband, and the provision of the Lord in our lives & household.
More later...
Here's a pic of "my girls":
And here's one of us on Mother's Day in our finest pink (we're girls, right?!)
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Our newest arrival...Gemma Violet!
**Disclaimer: If you don't care to read some more detailed descriptions of labor, you probably want to skip the 7th paragraph.**
Well, after passing my due date of March 12th & not having had a baby yet, going into the birth center on March 18th only to be sent home with false labor, and making it to 9 days overdue (all the while wondering: "Are we ever going to see this baby?!"), we finally welcomed our new little baby girl to our family on Sunday, March 21st at 1:45pm.
She has already surprised us in many respects, and she showed us some of her tendencies for surprise even before she came out of the womb! For one thing, Hannah was 8 days early, so I (like a silly mama) assumed that this one would be early as well--or at least right on time! When my due date passed and we were still waiting, I started to think "Hmmm...maybe this baby is not going to come when I think it will." I had a lot of help passing the waiting time with Senia being home for spring break, and various friends offering to bring food, take me out to pedicures, and coming over to just hang out! All of it was greatly appreciated, and I will definitely return that favor to someone else at some point. :)
I won't go into the whole false labor experience, as that was fairly frustrating, and I'd rather focus on the joy of the situation right now. :) Let's just say that when Sunday, March 21st rolled around and I started having contractions after midnight, I was REALLY holding off on getting excited or calling my midwife because I just didn't want to deal with that disappointment again.
My contractions started the previous evening around 10pm, but I was able to sleep through them, so I did what my midwife suggested: sleep through them! :) At about 12:15, I woke up because of an intense contraction, and I still waited for about an hour before even waking Keith up or calling Tracy (our midwife.) At that point, Tracy recommended trying to rest a little & call back if the contractions got closer or more intense (they were about 6 minutes apart at that point.) By 1:45, I was feeling anxious because I couldn't talk through the contractions, so we called my parents & Tracy and got stuff ready to go. The advantage of having had the previous false labor experience was that we had our "departure" down to an art--even Mom & Dad were more practiced and got here quicker! :)
I think we were at the birth center by 2:30ish, and I got in the tub almost immediately. The room was all candlelit and the tub was filled with nice, warm water. Keith set up the laptop so we could do our important status updates on Facebook, and then we decided to watch "The Office" Baby Episode. We also played a couple games of Othello, which, if you know anything about, you should be somewhat impressed at my mental ability to play that game even during contractions. :) (Granted, I didn't win either time, but I still had some of my little disks on the board!) At one point during those first few hours, I said to Keith "This is kind of fun!" The birth center is so relaxing & refreshing--Jessica, the midwife's apprentice, came in every half hour or so to check on baby's heart rate & ask if we needed any food or water (yes, that's right--I said FOOD. It IS okay to eat while you are in labor.) Besides that, it was just Keith & I in the quiet, peaceful room. Here is a picture of me in the tub early on:
Love that tub!! (Doesn't it look like a spa?!)
By 5:30 or so, I was feeling like I wanted to lay down & try to sleep a little bit, since my contractions were still intense while I had them, but kind of spread out by a few minutes. We slept for a couple hours (off & on, but still...not bad!) and then when the sun came up I got back in the tub because the contractions were getting more intense. The weird thing was that they were spreading apart, which Ztaphora, our other apprentice, attributed to the fact that the sun was coming up. Apparently our bodies tend to slow down with contractions when daylight hits, and not TOO many babies are born in the daylight hours...At any rate, my midwife checked me a little later (maybe 9:30 or 10:00), and I was only at 3cm. This was discouraging, but mostly because the contractions were spreading apart--I did NOT want to go back home again, and that was one possible outcome if we continued to see the pattern of "non-progression." (If that is even a term...)
Well, Keith and I decided to pray about that progression happening, since we know that God is bigger than the daylight hours! He could make my labor speed up, so we asked Him to do just that. I tell you: within the next few minutes (maybe a half hour at most), my contractions started coming closer together & they were getting more intense than before. For the next few hours, I started to experience a different kind of pain than I'd experienced before. I would describe it, but due to the miracle of birth memories, I really can't. :) At any rate, I used that tub to its fullest! I was moving all over during my contractions, which helped to distract me, as well as keep my joints active so that I didn't "feel" the intensity quite as much. I know I was moaning & groaning a lot more than with Hannah, and from Keith's perspective he thinks it was more intense, so we'll just say it was. Again, because of the labor memory that basically disappears after you are done, I can't really tell you for sure. All I knew was that I was not getting out of that tub (except to use the bathroom, which is a feat in & of itself while you are contracting.)
Those last few hours passed in kind of a blur, and after a while I got up on my knees to lean over the tub. I knew in my mind that I was getting into the transition phase, but at the same time, while I was experiencing it, it was all I could do to not scream at the top of my lungs (because maybe THAT would get the baby out sooner...) Shortly after that I started having that natural "urge" to push, and if you've had a baby, you know what I mean. I asked my midwife "Is this okay?" and thankfully she said to just go with it! :) I wasn't bearing down or anything, but I was definitely pushing. The amazing thing is that that brings this sense of relief to my body--partly because then I KNEW I was close, and partly because it released the pressure off the rest of my back & pelvis. By the time I was actually feeling like pushing hard, I was on my hands & knees, in what I'd say would be "modified child's pose" for anyone who does yoga. :) This worked really well, actually, because I could still move my body back & forth, but I could use my hands & knees for support. Keith & Ztaphora say I pushed for a good hour, but it felt like a couple minutes. :) At this point, I started feeling the "ring of fire", and then I could definitely tell the baby's head was coming out--no question about it! I reached down, and yup--there was the head! After a couple more pushes, & being gently & calmly guided by Tracy's instructions, I finished pushing her out. Tracy told me to watch for her coming towards me so that I could grab her. I think I will always remember those words: "Heather, you can pull your baby out!" That was the most amazing & rewarding part of the experience--actually being the one to pull her out of the water and for my arms to be the first that held her! She just stared at me then with open eyes--so alert! I checked her "area" then to see what we had and I was shocked to say: "It's a girl!" (Both Keith & I and most everyone we know thought she Because she hadn't really screamed yet, Tracy suctioned a little gunk out & then our little girl really wailed! She pinked right up and wanted to nurse, so we did that a little bit. She latched on pretty quickly and then I just got to stare at her. :) None of those pictures are really web-appropriate, so if you want to see them you can ask. :)
After a few more minutes, Keith cut the cord, which by that point was thin & kind of papery because she had re-absorbed that good stuff into her system. I got out of the tub then while Daddy Keith held his second daughter for the first time.
As I got situated in the bed and Gemma was put in my arms, Keith got to settle in next to me because of the wonderful queen-size bed in our room. We both got to enjoy watching & getting to know our little girl together, while Tracy, Jessica & Ztaphora left to give us some time alone. (They let the parents & baby get acquainted before weighing & measuring, so we got to just sit in the quiet stillness and be thankful for our new little "jewel," Gemma Violet.)
It worked out that my parents were headed in our direction right at that time, so they were able to get there with Hannah within an hour or so of my having Gemma! The only down side of that is that they were in our area because they had just dropped Senia off at the airport to head back to school. :( I was so bummed that Senia couldn't meet Gemma before she left, but she at least heard the news just before heading through to security.
When Hannah got there, she came right up to the bed and wanted to meet and kiss Gemma. She started using her name as soon as we told it to her, and since then, she has been the perfect doting big sister to Gemma--just loving on her & being so sweet with her! It is a joy to watch. Now that we know she is a girl, I am really getting excited about all that that entails for Hannah & Gemma both. :)
Throughout the rest of our stay, we were blessed by all the visitors that came, and we thoroughly enjoyed being pampered and cared for by Andaluz! The food was abundant & delicious, the quiet atmosphere was relaxing, and the supportive nature of the staff helped us feel refreshed & ready to face the next step ahead of us--heading home to parent our two little girls! And of course there was the lovely massage I had just before leaving that really made me feel like a million bucks!
Throughout the whole process, I have felt so protected and loved by the Lord--from the first steps into the birth center to my body healing after giving birth. Last night, Jessica came for a home visit, and when she felt my stomach to check on my uterus, she was amazed that she was having trouble finding it because it had already shrunk so much! She said--"Are you sure you had a baby 3 days ago?" I know that is the hand of the Lord working in me because He knows I'm going to need my strength & endurance back very quickly to be a patient, loving & encouraging mom for my daughters.
On that note, I need to go change Gemma and play with Hannah a little bit before we get to enjoy a meal from my friend Angela. :)
Here's our first family picture during Hannah's first visit with Gemma.
Well, after passing my due date of March 12th & not having had a baby yet, going into the birth center on March 18th only to be sent home with false labor, and making it to 9 days overdue (all the while wondering: "Are we ever going to see this baby?!"), we finally welcomed our new little baby girl to our family on Sunday, March 21st at 1:45pm.
She has already surprised us in many respects, and she showed us some of her tendencies for surprise even before she came out of the womb! For one thing, Hannah was 8 days early, so I (like a silly mama) assumed that this one would be early as well--or at least right on time! When my due date passed and we were still waiting, I started to think "Hmmm...maybe this baby is not going to come when I think it will." I had a lot of help passing the waiting time with Senia being home for spring break, and various friends offering to bring food, take me out to pedicures, and coming over to just hang out! All of it was greatly appreciated, and I will definitely return that favor to someone else at some point. :)
I won't go into the whole false labor experience, as that was fairly frustrating, and I'd rather focus on the joy of the situation right now. :) Let's just say that when Sunday, March 21st rolled around and I started having contractions after midnight, I was REALLY holding off on getting excited or calling my midwife because I just didn't want to deal with that disappointment again.
My contractions started the previous evening around 10pm, but I was able to sleep through them, so I did what my midwife suggested: sleep through them! :) At about 12:15, I woke up because of an intense contraction, and I still waited for about an hour before even waking Keith up or calling Tracy (our midwife.) At that point, Tracy recommended trying to rest a little & call back if the contractions got closer or more intense (they were about 6 minutes apart at that point.) By 1:45, I was feeling anxious because I couldn't talk through the contractions, so we called my parents & Tracy and got stuff ready to go. The advantage of having had the previous false labor experience was that we had our "departure" down to an art--even Mom & Dad were more practiced and got here quicker! :)
I think we were at the birth center by 2:30ish, and I got in the tub almost immediately. The room was all candlelit and the tub was filled with nice, warm water. Keith set up the laptop so we could do our important status updates on Facebook, and then we decided to watch "The Office" Baby Episode. We also played a couple games of Othello, which, if you know anything about, you should be somewhat impressed at my mental ability to play that game even during contractions. :) (Granted, I didn't win either time, but I still had some of my little disks on the board!) At one point during those first few hours, I said to Keith "This is kind of fun!" The birth center is so relaxing & refreshing--Jessica, the midwife's apprentice, came in every half hour or so to check on baby's heart rate & ask if we needed any food or water (yes, that's right--I said FOOD. It IS okay to eat while you are in labor.) Besides that, it was just Keith & I in the quiet, peaceful room. Here is a picture of me in the tub early on:
Love that tub!! (Doesn't it look like a spa?!)
By 5:30 or so, I was feeling like I wanted to lay down & try to sleep a little bit, since my contractions were still intense while I had them, but kind of spread out by a few minutes. We slept for a couple hours (off & on, but still...not bad!) and then when the sun came up I got back in the tub because the contractions were getting more intense. The weird thing was that they were spreading apart, which Ztaphora, our other apprentice, attributed to the fact that the sun was coming up. Apparently our bodies tend to slow down with contractions when daylight hits, and not TOO many babies are born in the daylight hours...At any rate, my midwife checked me a little later (maybe 9:30 or 10:00), and I was only at 3cm. This was discouraging, but mostly because the contractions were spreading apart--I did NOT want to go back home again, and that was one possible outcome if we continued to see the pattern of "non-progression." (If that is even a term...)
Well, Keith and I decided to pray about that progression happening, since we know that God is bigger than the daylight hours! He could make my labor speed up, so we asked Him to do just that. I tell you: within the next few minutes (maybe a half hour at most), my contractions started coming closer together & they were getting more intense than before. For the next few hours, I started to experience a different kind of pain than I'd experienced before. I would describe it, but due to the miracle of birth memories, I really can't. :) At any rate, I used that tub to its fullest! I was moving all over during my contractions, which helped to distract me, as well as keep my joints active so that I didn't "feel" the intensity quite as much. I know I was moaning & groaning a lot more than with Hannah, and from Keith's perspective he thinks it was more intense, so we'll just say it was. Again, because of the labor memory that basically disappears after you are done, I can't really tell you for sure. All I knew was that I was not getting out of that tub (except to use the bathroom, which is a feat in & of itself while you are contracting.)
Those last few hours passed in kind of a blur, and after a while I got up on my knees to lean over the tub. I knew in my mind that I was getting into the transition phase, but at the same time, while I was experiencing it, it was all I could do to not scream at the top of my lungs (because maybe THAT would get the baby out sooner...) Shortly after that I started having that natural "urge" to push, and if you've had a baby, you know what I mean. I asked my midwife "Is this okay?" and thankfully she said to just go with it! :) I wasn't bearing down or anything, but I was definitely pushing. The amazing thing is that that brings this sense of relief to my body--partly because then I KNEW I was close, and partly because it released the pressure off the rest of my back & pelvis. By the time I was actually feeling like pushing hard, I was on my hands & knees, in what I'd say would be "modified child's pose" for anyone who does yoga. :) This worked really well, actually, because I could still move my body back & forth, but I could use my hands & knees for support. Keith & Ztaphora say I pushed for a good hour, but it felt like a couple minutes. :) At this point, I started feeling the "ring of fire", and then I could definitely tell the baby's head was coming out--no question about it! I reached down, and yup--there was the head! After a couple more pushes, & being gently & calmly guided by Tracy's instructions, I finished pushing her out. Tracy told me to watch for her coming towards me so that I could grab her. I think I will always remember those words: "Heather, you can pull your baby out!" That was the most amazing & rewarding part of the experience--actually being the one to pull her out of the water and for my arms to be the first that held her! She just stared at me then with open eyes--so alert! I checked her "area" then to see what we had and I was shocked to say: "It's a girl!" (Both Keith & I and most everyone we know thought she Because she hadn't really screamed yet, Tracy suctioned a little gunk out & then our little girl really wailed! She pinked right up and wanted to nurse, so we did that a little bit. She latched on pretty quickly and then I just got to stare at her. :) None of those pictures are really web-appropriate, so if you want to see them you can ask. :)
After a few more minutes, Keith cut the cord, which by that point was thin & kind of papery because she had re-absorbed that good stuff into her system. I got out of the tub then while Daddy Keith held his second daughter for the first time.
As I got situated in the bed and Gemma was put in my arms, Keith got to settle in next to me because of the wonderful queen-size bed in our room. We both got to enjoy watching & getting to know our little girl together, while Tracy, Jessica & Ztaphora left to give us some time alone. (They let the parents & baby get acquainted before weighing & measuring, so we got to just sit in the quiet stillness and be thankful for our new little "jewel," Gemma Violet.)
It worked out that my parents were headed in our direction right at that time, so they were able to get there with Hannah within an hour or so of my having Gemma! The only down side of that is that they were in our area because they had just dropped Senia off at the airport to head back to school. :( I was so bummed that Senia couldn't meet Gemma before she left, but she at least heard the news just before heading through to security.
When Hannah got there, she came right up to the bed and wanted to meet and kiss Gemma. She started using her name as soon as we told it to her, and since then, she has been the perfect doting big sister to Gemma--just loving on her & being so sweet with her! It is a joy to watch. Now that we know she is a girl, I am really getting excited about all that that entails for Hannah & Gemma both. :)
Throughout the rest of our stay, we were blessed by all the visitors that came, and we thoroughly enjoyed being pampered and cared for by Andaluz! The food was abundant & delicious, the quiet atmosphere was relaxing, and the supportive nature of the staff helped us feel refreshed & ready to face the next step ahead of us--heading home to parent our two little girls! And of course there was the lovely massage I had just before leaving that really made me feel like a million bucks!
Throughout the whole process, I have felt so protected and loved by the Lord--from the first steps into the birth center to my body healing after giving birth. Last night, Jessica came for a home visit, and when she felt my stomach to check on my uterus, she was amazed that she was having trouble finding it because it had already shrunk so much! She said--"Are you sure you had a baby 3 days ago?" I know that is the hand of the Lord working in me because He knows I'm going to need my strength & endurance back very quickly to be a patient, loving & encouraging mom for my daughters.
On that note, I need to go change Gemma and play with Hannah a little bit before we get to enjoy a meal from my friend Angela. :)
Here's our first family picture during Hannah's first visit with Gemma.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
I'm getting excited!
As of last night, I have officially entered the "I can't wait" stage of this pregnancy. Allow me to clarify--I am truly fine with whenever this baby comes into the world, but I am also getting really excited to meet him or her! Who will he/she resemble most? What will be his/her personality? What will Hannah do? How will Hannah respond to the baby's first look at her?
I can't wait to enjoy the water birth center experience, and it brings tears to my eyes to think of the loving, warm nature of my midwives & apprentices who will be attending the birth. Each of them are so devoted to their practice, and I really feel blessed to have that dedication pointed towards our family.
I look forward to seeing Keith in action during my labor. I think this time around will give me an even deeper appreciation for our relationship, and I pray that we are both able to absorb many new things to love about one another through this birth!
I am praying for continued calm, even into the active stages of labor, and I am trusting the Lord for His steady hand to be upon our family & this new little one over the weeks & months to come!
See you soon...
I can't wait to enjoy the water birth center experience, and it brings tears to my eyes to think of the loving, warm nature of my midwives & apprentices who will be attending the birth. Each of them are so devoted to their practice, and I really feel blessed to have that dedication pointed towards our family.
I look forward to seeing Keith in action during my labor. I think this time around will give me an even deeper appreciation for our relationship, and I pray that we are both able to absorb many new things to love about one another through this birth!
I am praying for continued calm, even into the active stages of labor, and I am trusting the Lord for His steady hand to be upon our family & this new little one over the weeks & months to come!
See you soon...
Friday, February 12, 2010
Better late than never...
Well, as usual, I'm posting something on here months after my last entry, and although I'm sure I could have come up with some interesting topics, I just never have the motivation to sit down and do that. :) Checking other people's blogs or looking on Facebook is so much quicker, and then I can be entertained by their clever quips & comments. Anyway, I figured since my last post was regarding the fairly recent news that I was pregnant and now I am at 36 weeks, it was about time to post again.
My thoughts about the pregnancy so far (in one-word descriptions): fast, challenging, emotional, daunting, fun, joyful, sentimental, exhausting, hot, blessing.
Over the last few months, we have successfully day-potty-trained Hannah, and she rarely has accidents anymore! We attempted night-training for a couple nights, but after washing the sheets two days in a row, I figured it was probably more hassle than necessary at this point. Let's face it--I'm going to have plenty of laundry to do in a few more weeks, I don't need to add more right now!
We also moved Hannah into her big girl room, which is complete with a pink polka-dot queen bed & a cozy pink bean bag chair.
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She really likes the room, and although it has been quite the struggle to get her to stay in bed during nap & bedtime, we are hopeful that the transition will be complete before baby gets here!
Hannah is also generally becoming quite the little girl to have around. She absolutely adores playing with her dolls (especially "Baby Anne," which is an old cabbage patch doll of mine), and she is also into imaginative play in her kitchen set & around the house. She repeats a lot of funny phrases & sayings, and she loves to sing "Bingo," "Jesus Loves Me," "Twinkle, Twinkle," "The ABC's", and "Happy Birthday," as well as various other songs from The Fish radio station (Christian music.) :) She seems to be understanding what will be happening in a few weeks in terms of the baby being born, and we talk a lot about the baby--where he or she will sleep, what he or she will eat, and who will take care of him or her (all of us!) Hannah has come to almost all of my midwife appointments, so she is pretty familiar with feeling my tummy, listening to the heartbeat, and checking my blood pressure. :) This last time I decided to bring along Hannah's doctor kit, so she was checking my vitals right alongside the midwife!
Speaking of midwives, we are still completely thrilled with Andaluz and their wonderful services there. Our midwives, Tracy & Adele (Tracy is our primary, the one who will most likely be with us during the birth) are both lovely, calm, confident women who really seem to have an invested interest in our family. During each visit, there is plenty of time for questions, and they also take special care to interact with & get to know Hannah and us on a more personal level. It's just a great place! It probably sounds weird to some, but I am actually looking forward to labor because I know I will get to deliver at this awesome place! My friend Lisa delivered there a couple of months ago, and her experience was exactly what Keith and I have been dreaming about: a quiet, intimate, peaceful birth with very little hub-bub or unnecessary stress. We found out yesterday that the baby is now head-down, after a number of weeks of him or her being in breech position. This was a huge blessing, and we are praising the Lord for His hand on our baby! :) Now we are basically set to go--we've got diapers washing in preparation, the basinette is set up, the infant tub is on standby, and the carseat is ready to be installed next to Hannah's. Pretty soon, we'll be a family of four (plus dog & cat.) :)
With Valentine's Day coming up this weekend, we have some fun things planned. Tomorrow morning we'll head to Mom & Dad's for their annual Valentine's Day brunch, and then Hannah will stay with them through Sunday morning. After my morning piano lesson & a massage (!), Keith & I will have a quiet dinner at home together, and then we will head out to a movie. It sounds delightful! Although I am really trying to enjoy every last minute with an "only child," I am also looking forward to tomorrow's day off! :)
So many great and wonderful things have happened in our family since having Hannah, and it would take way too long to list them all. I would just like to make a note (to myself, more than anything) that although Hannah has her will of iron that can make the days long & challenging at times, it has mostly been a great joy & blessing to raise her so far, and she has taught me a lot about patience, flexibility & unconditional love. I know that she is going to be a wonderful big sister, and I am so excited to see the bond that will develop between her & this little one.
I have also thoroughly enjoyed watching Keith grow & develop into an amazing father over the last 2 & 1/2 years. He has always been good with children, and so it didn't surprise me that he moved into the "dad" role so easily. His patience and gentle manner encourage and move me to be a better mom, and it is such a delight to watch him interact, play, and laugh with Hannah. I feel so blessed to be able to start raising another little one with him, and I can't wait to see him with his two children on his lap! :)
Thanks for letting me share my thoughts & (somewhat personal) revelations. It felt good to get those typed out, as I'm not sure when I'll have time to sit down again and update....Let's face it: it could be at the baby's first birthday...
My thoughts about the pregnancy so far (in one-word descriptions): fast, challenging, emotional, daunting, fun, joyful, sentimental, exhausting, hot, blessing.
Over the last few months, we have successfully day-potty-trained Hannah, and she rarely has accidents anymore! We attempted night-training for a couple nights, but after washing the sheets two days in a row, I figured it was probably more hassle than necessary at this point. Let's face it--I'm going to have plenty of laundry to do in a few more weeks, I don't need to add more right now!
We also moved Hannah into her big girl room, which is complete with a pink polka-dot queen bed & a cozy pink bean bag chair.
.JPG)
She really likes the room, and although it has been quite the struggle to get her to stay in bed during nap & bedtime, we are hopeful that the transition will be complete before baby gets here!
Hannah is also generally becoming quite the little girl to have around. She absolutely adores playing with her dolls (especially "Baby Anne," which is an old cabbage patch doll of mine), and she is also into imaginative play in her kitchen set & around the house. She repeats a lot of funny phrases & sayings, and she loves to sing "Bingo," "Jesus Loves Me," "Twinkle, Twinkle," "The ABC's", and "Happy Birthday," as well as various other songs from The Fish radio station (Christian music.) :) She seems to be understanding what will be happening in a few weeks in terms of the baby being born, and we talk a lot about the baby--where he or she will sleep, what he or she will eat, and who will take care of him or her (all of us!) Hannah has come to almost all of my midwife appointments, so she is pretty familiar with feeling my tummy, listening to the heartbeat, and checking my blood pressure. :) This last time I decided to bring along Hannah's doctor kit, so she was checking my vitals right alongside the midwife!
Speaking of midwives, we are still completely thrilled with Andaluz and their wonderful services there. Our midwives, Tracy & Adele (Tracy is our primary, the one who will most likely be with us during the birth) are both lovely, calm, confident women who really seem to have an invested interest in our family. During each visit, there is plenty of time for questions, and they also take special care to interact with & get to know Hannah and us on a more personal level. It's just a great place! It probably sounds weird to some, but I am actually looking forward to labor because I know I will get to deliver at this awesome place! My friend Lisa delivered there a couple of months ago, and her experience was exactly what Keith and I have been dreaming about: a quiet, intimate, peaceful birth with very little hub-bub or unnecessary stress. We found out yesterday that the baby is now head-down, after a number of weeks of him or her being in breech position. This was a huge blessing, and we are praising the Lord for His hand on our baby! :) Now we are basically set to go--we've got diapers washing in preparation, the basinette is set up, the infant tub is on standby, and the carseat is ready to be installed next to Hannah's. Pretty soon, we'll be a family of four (plus dog & cat.) :)
With Valentine's Day coming up this weekend, we have some fun things planned. Tomorrow morning we'll head to Mom & Dad's for their annual Valentine's Day brunch, and then Hannah will stay with them through Sunday morning. After my morning piano lesson & a massage (!), Keith & I will have a quiet dinner at home together, and then we will head out to a movie. It sounds delightful! Although I am really trying to enjoy every last minute with an "only child," I am also looking forward to tomorrow's day off! :)
So many great and wonderful things have happened in our family since having Hannah, and it would take way too long to list them all. I would just like to make a note (to myself, more than anything) that although Hannah has her will of iron that can make the days long & challenging at times, it has mostly been a great joy & blessing to raise her so far, and she has taught me a lot about patience, flexibility & unconditional love. I know that she is going to be a wonderful big sister, and I am so excited to see the bond that will develop between her & this little one.
I have also thoroughly enjoyed watching Keith grow & develop into an amazing father over the last 2 & 1/2 years. He has always been good with children, and so it didn't surprise me that he moved into the "dad" role so easily. His patience and gentle manner encourage and move me to be a better mom, and it is such a delight to watch him interact, play, and laugh with Hannah. I feel so blessed to be able to start raising another little one with him, and I can't wait to see him with his two children on his lap! :)
Thanks for letting me share my thoughts & (somewhat personal) revelations. It felt good to get those typed out, as I'm not sure when I'll have time to sit down again and update....Let's face it: it could be at the baby's first birthday...
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